Dear Kurt,

I largely agree with your review.

I really like how the (3D) Mario series gets more abstract with each iteration. One is tempted to think that it has been very abstract from the beginning but now the creators don’t even care to gradually lead the player through cleanly themed worlds (fire, ice, desert, sky etc.—often with increasing difficulty), or to fulfill any ‘demands’ for an even slightly coherent back story. As I see it, SMG1 had a beautiful backstory (it was the overdue direct acknowledgement that video games are, in essence, akin to the circle of life), and Nintendo—smart as they are—knew they wouldn’t be able to continue from there. So they did the only thing logical and stripped away everything that has to do with story or plot, and just offer the pure platforming playground, the pure canvas to draw on with Mario’s actions and movements. Together with their almost impeccable physics and controls, they again raised the bar for what you call ‘an experience of play’ which is ‘fun, and light-hearted, and wondrous’.

Thomas S.